:: REVOLTINGAimed at 5-8 year olds, Cyberchase: Ruckus Reader offers a new story for fans to delve into, following an exciting problem that Hacker has left the Cybersquad with. Three hours of puzzles are promised as players set out to save Solaria from being transformed into a garbage dump.
Puzzles range from word hunts, spot what's wrong with the picture, mazes, and create your own story sections. Topics that are taught include things such as alphabetical knowledge, phonological awareness, phonics and word recognition, as well as reading comprehension.
Together, it should prove an educational yet highly entertaining experience for kids.
Cyberchase: Ruckus Reader is available now for free, with an in-app purchase of $3.99 to unlock one story, or $5.99 to unlock both.
Oh Say Can You Say Di-no-saur? All About Dinosaurs is a very nice adaptation of the title of the same name from the Cat and the Hat’s Learning Library.
I have uniformly enjoyed all of the book apps Oceanhouse Media has developed, bringing published children’s titles to life with the inclusion of options such as narration with highlighted text, the labeling of objects found onscreen with text as well as additional narration, as well as sometimes including other light animated hot spots and oftentimes sound effects. One can tap on words or even paragraphs to hear the text read whether or not while listening to the narration - wonderful for new readers who may need extra help in some places.
I am especially enjoying the chance to hear this book, Oh Say Can You Say Di-no-saur? with professional narration as I have always had trouble pronouncing and remembering different dinosaur names - serious business when you are the mother of a four year old.
The information in the dinosaur book is great for beginner paleontologists as it is general in nature, focusing on names and a little bit about each of these creatures, also includes fun dino sound effects along the way. It also does a nice job of discussing fossils and their preservation and excavation - an important part of the story often left out of other dinosaur books and applications.
As with other Cat and the Hat’s Learning Library, familiar characters such as the Cat in the hat, Sally, Dick as well as Thing 1 and Thing 2 are back young these pages keeping this story fun and engaging.
As with the other Dr Seuss apps of Oceanhouse Media, the original illustrations found within the book are included, as is the technique of panning and zooming to draw readers' attention in a way that is subtle yet dynamic in spots as the zooming out may reveal other dinosaurs or other details on the page.
I am happy to see all the elements within this book used in this app, as there are additional white cards with fun facts throughout this tale, here to be tapped to reveal the text and included narration. This keeps the spirit of this book intact and adds another layer of interactivity, past the ability to move certain details around the screen. Explore this app to find these hotspots.
What I find most impressive, however, is the stellar narration by John Bell, my personal favorite narrator of applications and a regular voice to be heard within Dr. Seuss apps.
I have often compared Bell to a Shakespearean actor who can speak difficult lines of text in a way that audiences will comprehend much better than if spoken by another actor with less mastery of his craft.
The same is true within Dr. Suess books, where the nonsensical rhymes can make for challenging reading both out loud as well as to oneself - especially for children.
I love to hear Bell speak the names of these dinosaurs, feeling as if the names and pronunciations are only now beginning to seep into my memory, which is not the case for other times I have hear these names spoken. This is good news as I want to speak with authority as my son and I play dinosaurs who have invaded our train table in record numbers.
The only missed opportunity within this app, however, is the lack of a glossary found within the printed version of this book and not found within this application - an element I would love to see included in a future update.
Where Do Balloons Go? An Uplifting Mystery is a marvelous iPad adaptation for of the popular title of the same name.
I am familiar with Where Do Balloons Go as this storybook is a favorite that is read at my son’s preschool which tries to answer the question of where do balloons go in ways most whimsical. I can understand why his teachers enjoy this book because it is thoughtfully written, abstract yet age-appropriate and includes an abundance of illustrations for all ages - including adults, who really enjoy this book as well.
This application does a wonderful job of using the iPad to add even more richness to this tale as here, narration, music and interactions are also included.
I appreciate how this application opens up with a short video clip of Jamie Lee Curtis explaining the inspiration of this charming, creative story. I also like the fact that Jamie herself walks readers through the use of this application as some of the functions are different from other apps one may be familiar with, such as the use of tapping to pan over to the right side of the screen which keeping intact double page spreads from this book - not to be confused with simple page turning. Hints can also be offered to help readers make the most of this application. Enjoy Curtis's narration of this appellation which is perfect as one can imagine and includes highlighted text, or turn off the narration and read this book to oneself.
Do tap among these pages that are filled with details to look at as well as to interact with while never becoming distracting - a balancing act that the developers at Auryn have been successful at to great effect.
Another clever interaction is the ability to use a fan to blow the balloons found among these pages around the screen, later using this fan as part of an activity where one matches the balloon to the rightful owner - a fun moment that I am sure has just the right level of difficulty for children.
I also have enjoyed a great deal some of the moments from this story which are delivered to app users as black and white scenes that are brought to their full color glory with a tap, including details that adults will smile at possibly more than their children will such as a balloon suspensefully flying to the house upon the hill by the Bates Motel or the balloon-centric titles on a movie marquee - wonderful adult choices that make this tale, both as a published storybook and now as an app, such a joy to explore for all ages. Do search this section for other interactive elements best left for one to explore on their own as not to ruin any fun surprises.
I admire how the sense of movement found among the storybook’s pages is here fully realized including a wonderful scene which brings to life the book’s centerfold - a page abundant with dancing balloons, here accompanied with music and a counter to tick off the balloons which start dancing with a tap.
Another nice moment includes the chance to write on and send digital postcards including the cards seen in the book as well as the last page of the printed version - a nice touch.
Other more involved activities which I really like include a chance to make balloon animals by following directions to make a handful of specific animal shapes or to have fun creating one’s own balloon designs. Oddly, however, when I follow along, invariably my animal is upside-down after completion, so I would also love to be able to rotate my creation when complete to view from all angles as well as flipping my animals right side up.
One also has the chance to create constellations in the night’s sky including numbered stars that one taps to connect, creating shapes that are more intricate than found in other apps with this theme. I do wish, however, that there were a choice for these hidden activity triggers to be highlighted along with the other hints offered, as I did not first find the glowing star marking where to tap for this section. Re-watching Jamie Lee Curtis’s section on the use of this app, however, did give me a good idea as to where to look.
There is one more area of this app to mention, Balloon Theatre, allowing one to use fun elements like hat, hair or mouth choices to create characters backstage that are then dragged into the user's choice of two backgrounds - be it night sky or a wonderfully water-colored sky with clouds. Choosing a personal photo to work on from the iPad is also an option. Be aware that dragging the character onto the stage is tricky at first, but with some use this function works nicely as one can record the performance that players create, complete with the recording of sounds as well as the moment the characters cross the screen.
Even with the plentiful amount of interactions, sounds and other sections and elements, the calm, serene and relaxing end of this charming story makes this app a nice tale both for relaxing as well as for a bedtime story telling.
I am sure that fans of this book will be greatly impressed with this application, but rest assured that those not familiar with this story will enjoy it just the same. For these reasons and more, I whole-heartedly recommend this application.
Over a century after the monster's killing spree came to an end, Jack the Ripper still somehow remains a household name. For this very reason, the new app Ripperpedia: The Jack the Ripper Who’s Who is hoping to cut through much of the urban legend surrounding this historic yet deplorable character. Chock-full of first hand accounts, police data, even photos and videos from the actual crime scenes, the app is sure to be an interesting download for those with an eye for history.
Just be careful, I wouldn't want to be caught dead (pun intended - Ed.)with an piece of software like this in my download history. Call me crazy, but I hear spouses frown upon the study of serial killers.
[gallery]
:: FLEXIBLEAvengers Origins: Assemble! is a very enjoyable universal interactive storybook that tells the tale of how The Avengers find Captain America, and become more of a cohesive group. I really enjoy how these characters are introduced, making this a great primer for children new to Marvel comics. Interactive moments are included throughout that children will also enjoy such as dragging the tools used by each Avenger to their rightful owner.
I enjoy the back story explaining how Namor the Sub-mariner was originally a hero who has forgotten his good-guy past to later re-emerge as a villain. Much to the Avengers' surprise, Namor is now being helped by the Hulk, odd as he fights alongside The Avengers - not against. Readers soon find out that this is all a trick to tire Namor, giving the Hulk a chance to strike, also included as an interactive moment within this book. After the Avengers regroup, it is then that Ant Man sees a body under the water, frozen in a block of ice that readers melt with the drag of a finger, awakening Captain America. The gang still has to deal with Namor and now the armies of Atlantis as well, it is here that Captain America joining in helping The Avengers and becoming a member.
I enjoy this app very much, as does my husband, a loyal Marvel fan as well as my four year old son. The look of the illustrations is very nice, bright and colorful. I am also very happy that the included animated elements look like moving images not fully animated like a cartoon, keeping this app grounded as a cartoon or storybook without venturing too far into being a video which could distract from the reading component of this app.
The interactive elements are fun and well-placed, propelling the story as well as taking part in the action, such as helping The Hulk take a swing at Namor or using the circular drag of a finger to help Captain America swing his shield at the Atlanteans, fighting on the side of The Avengers for the first time and becoming a part of their group.
It goes without saying that the narration by Stan Lee himself is perfectly realized - a favorite element of mine within this book. Music is included as well that is also very nicely done, creating a wonderful sense of drama and suspense.
Parents also have the chance to read this book to their children, and auto play is also included, as is a "young readers mode" which aids in the page turing by including familiar arrows one now touches to continue, as without this mode a tap anywhere on the screen will progress the story, allowing children to flip pages easily by accident. I do wish, however that that page turning was not possible until the narration was complete on each page, as it is still possible to turn a page to early missing parts of this story.
The retelling of this episodic story is nicely simplified and condensed for children to follow easily, yet my husband, who has spent many hours of his youth in comic book stores, enjoyed sharing this book with our son. Although this story contains a lot of action, the fight scenes are demonstrated in a way that is fun and stylized, not violent fashion that could be off-putting to parents.
Although the release of this app coincides with the new Avengers movie, this app does not feel like a tie-in that will be forgotten when the movie is no longer a new release, but it is a very-nice retelling of a classic story that will be enjoyed for a long time to come without ever feeling like an advertisement for licensed merchandise.
Recently, new arcade-style games have been added allowing players to play these games from the point-of-view of the characters from the new movie, The Avengers, including Black Widow - not mentioned in the interactive book. These games are fun and also nicely explain the special powers of each of these super heroes.
I am happy to have shared this application with my son. We have not had a chance to see The Avengers yet, but I look forward to sharing this movie with my son who now knows a little more about this story, adding to the overall richness of the experience.
Avengers Origins: Assemble! is part of a series of Origins apps that also includes Spiderman and The Hulk. Please check iTunes for more details. I look forward to reviewing Avengers Origins: Hulk soon as well.
:: CONVENIENT NAVIGATION
The tool uses photos users can find all over the internet to help them create what they’re envisioning. The app boasts a powerful search engine that aids users in finding high quality images to use for their creations. Search images can be saved for later use. Images can be viewed in a full screen mode. The app also includes information guides to help new users to get started, is usable in both portrait and landscape modes, and has social networking integration to share ideas with others.
InStudios has recently updated to its 1.2 version of the app. The update has added an enhanced user interface, info guides with improved graphics, and an exclusive new interactive feature.
InStudios is available for $5.99.
However, a new business model is not all that comes with the game. There are new levels and a new boss to fight, new weapons to use, a map to help explore the world, and new "Fast Travel" warps so players don't have to restart from the beginning of the game. Plus, it's now compatible with the iPad Retina Display. The 1.1 update with these new features and The Pact version are both available now.
:: LOST AT SEA :: DELICIOUSLY DYSTOPIC :: Read Review »Numberleys is the new interactive universal storybook by the developers at Moonbot Studios, creators of The Fantastic Flying Books of Mr. Morris Lessmore, one of my son’s all-time favorite applications.
The visual style of the Numberleys is quite stunning, greatly reminiscent of Fritz Lang's 1926 German Expressionism film, Metropolis, with a use of black and white imagery that will stay with my son for a long time. In cinematic terms that don’t quite correspond to an animated film, the look of low-key lighting is most striking, as is the masterful positioning of what would be the camera and the use of graphic, industrial cutaways in addition to the perfect use of a musical score in this thoughtful, atmospheric sci-fi storybook.
This story takes place in a bleak, colorless land of only numbers. An orderly world devoid of whimsy or joy, a group of numbers looking to better their society take it upon themselves to create letters out of already existing number shapes to bring beauty to their world.
It may have been a mistake to tell my son that this was a new app from the same developers of The Fantastic Flying Books, as I think my son was expecting highly interactive moments peppered throughout this story, which is not really the case here, as this is primarily a video to watch until one comes across the section of mini-game-like activities in which these new letters are crafted.
It did not take long, however, for my son to get used to simply watching this interesting origin of the alphabet, and I really enjoyed looking at his eyes are they grew wide in response to the use of the images of impressive architectural structures and industrial machines also found in Metropolis and touched upon here with wondrous effect. The mood within this tale may be dark, but not scary or to intense for my sensitive son.
I greatly appreciate the included narration, complete with German accent, which made me smile but surely went over the head of my 4 year old. I admire the choice to have a decidedly quirky tone to this narration as a more drab style would have made this story too heavy and completely change the tone of this tale to something else very different.
There are a few moments where one can tap red lights found in this app, mainly as part of a machine one gets to momentary interact with, exploring further the industrial elements of this application, but these moments are few and far between - only an issue if one has a preconceived notion of what to expect from this interactive app.
There are times, however, that after tapping an interactive area of this app, it is unclear when to turn the page as the interactive can be infinite - usually something that I like in an interaction, but here, which can cause confusion.
I have also noticed that when the video is intercut with narration and a title card of written text, although a lovely nod to silent films, can seem jarring, especially when it comes to the soundtrack being used.
As this story progresses, readers will reach the section of this app that will allow them to help these number characters to alter numbers into letters.
It is impressive how varied these interactions are, with a creative use of industrial machines, as well as the witty use of words that introduces the letters such as “Form would follow function, they would make the future fun.”
Letters are spun to stretch numbers into letter shapes, trampolines are used to jump onto numbers, squashing or separating them into letters, even deflecting numbers to hit fragile gears that fill form letters when broken.
Many of these interactions work well, but others are more at a level of a challenging mini-game in terms of difficulty, and it can be hard to understand what is being asked of the player or simply too difficult to accomplish - much to the frustration of my son, who wanted to interact with this this story, only to feel at some points overly challenged.
It can also be difficult to know when to turn the page here, as a few times the best way to complete the letter in question is to tap the paging turn arrow which triggers the conclusion of this interaction, as to not prolong some of these mini-games for what seems like indefinitely as players try to trouble-shoot what is going wrong.
Unfortunately, narration is not included as players must read the directions offered for these letter interactions to themselves, as the visual clues are often not enough to explain game play on their own, making this a difficult app to fully enjoy for non-readers. I would love to see narration of these directions also included as an option in the future.
After these letters are created, fully-colored elements are seen for the first time, evoking moments of Technicolor that become quite moving.
Because some of these letters can be too time-consuming to complete, my son thought this app in general was too long - something that may not surprise developers as they include an intermission that can one can sit through or bypass with a page turn.
I would love to see in the future a separate section being a simple video only, allowing one to watch these letters being born with a shortened overall time to complete each letter.
All in all, I can recommend this app based on its amazing sense of style. Metropolis is a favorite movie of mine, and this is a wonderful tribute to a perfectly realized film. I am happy to expose my son to this style of cinematic experience unlike anything else he has seen to date.
I do believe that some of the skill- or luck-based letter mini-games could be made simpler, as this story about the birth of letters will appeal to young children who will not be capable of some of these interactions - issues I hope that can be worked out in the future. Although of interest to children, even story-loving adults who are familiar with German Expressionism will find this application of interest.
I have been very impressed with the look and storytelling and other cinematic elements found within both of Moonbot Studios epic storybook applications. I look forward to seeing what else they may develop.
The gameplay is fairly standard fare for the genre with some combo elements built-in. Players shoot to kill enemies with a pistol, secondary weapon with limited ammo but greater power such as an assault rifle, and grenades. Players have an adrenaline meter, which when charged up, helps increase the combo multiplier and gives enemies and destructible objects a noticeable outline. Players can earn or purchase credits which go toward upgrades of either the protagonist or of his weapons. The combo-based combat gives it a different feel from a game like Shadowgun, and emphasizes efficiency. THe variety of destructible objects helps to bring variety to combat, as well.
I understand the desire to make games that try to emulate console-style gameplay on iOS, but they usually wind up falling flat because they're not particularly a good fit for the platform. It's just that M.U.S.E. feels flat even for iOS, like if there's a really good game here, it's still ways off from being fully realized. There are other, better, 3rd party shooters to check out before this one.
:: TOUR-DE-FARCEThere’s No Place Like Space is the first title from The Cat in the Hat’s Learning Library developed by Oceanhouse Media. Like their other Dr. Seuss apps, There’s No Place like Space faithfully adapts the printed version of this book as well as adding some new interactive elements.
For those who may not know, The Cat in the Hat’s Learning Library is a non-fiction series for children that teaches different subjects of interest to kids, such as dinosaurs or sea life, always staring the Cat in the Hat and human counterparts - siblings Sally and Dick, as well as Thing One and Thing Two. My son loves these new adventures with the gang from the classic Cat in the Hat books, as do I.
Here, There’s No Place Like Space tackles the topic of outer space, introducing the planets in the solar system, with vivid descriptions of each one, a fun mnemonic to help kids remember each of their names and correct order, as well as fun facts about the sun, moon, constellations and other related information.
Like other Oceanhouse Media apps, this universal app includes narration, also allowing one can read this book to oneself. This app, like many others from this developer, does a great job of incorporating the traditional illustrations found in the classic books, with the use of “The Ken Burns Effect’ as these drawings are panned and zoomed across to create effect.
Some of these single pages have been expanded to create a screen full-screen spread, but the text is the same as found in the printed book, delivered paragraph by paragraph, aiding in threading of these rhymes.
Interesting interactions can also be explored here - a new element found among Oceanhouse Media apps and a nice inclusion to their new The Cat in the Hat’s Learning Library series of applications.
Move individual images such as the gang's spaceship and the planets floating among these pages around the screen, which then fall back into their alignment and can also be moved around the screen as a whole - a nice touch to emphasize their order in the solar system. The ability to create constellations with a tap is also included as well, a personal favorite interaction.
Simple animated movements can also be found such as the planets revolving around the sun - an image, together combined with the relaxing, vaguely science fictionish music found throughout, create a moment that is surprisingly moving.
I like use of Thing One and Thing Two who are somewhat hidden among these pages, encouraging kids to find them and tap, as doing so makes these creatures hold up a sign containing a fun fact or science-related question - an element also found in the published book, made nicely interactive within this application.
I also appreciate how the published book contains a glossary of words touched upon in this story. Here, these words are highlighted and can be tapped to hear and see these glossary words explained. Like the other Oceanhouse Media apps, individual words or full paragraphs can also be tapped to be narrated, as well as any of the objects within the page, as these items will be labeled and spoken when tapped without competing with the narrator reading the text, always a nice touch.
It is worth noting that this application is based on the updated version of There’s No Place Like Space omitting Pluto, which was demoted from planet to dwarf planet in 2006. Because of this, the page pertaining to Pluto and the mnemonic have been removed and changed from my older copy of There’s No Place Like Space to correspond with the re-classification.
I am thrilled that my favorite voice talent, John Bell, is back to narrate this application.
There’s No Place Like Space, although a creative, fun and educational book, is not written by Seuss himself, although it is written in a Seuss-like style. I enjoy this book, as does my son, but my husband and I did comment to ourselves that the text is not as well-written as the classic books by Seuss.
I think the narration by John Bell brings so very much to this application. Having narrated other of Oceanhouse Media's Dr. Seuss apps before, Bell understands the cadence, rhyme and whimsy found in Dr. Seuss prose, as is able to infuse his narration with a Seussian flair that does not exist as much in the words found on the page as it does within Bell’s brilliant delivery. I hope to continue to hear more of his great talent in other applications.
My son and I and I have really enjoyed this application. Although recommended for ages five to eight, I can’t see why younger children four or possibly younger would not enjoy this app as well. I am very happy to hear that this is only the first app in The Cat in the Hat’s Learning Library as I enjoy sharing non-fiction books with my son as well.
I eagerly await to see which book in this series will be adapted next, having enjoyed the extra features not comply found within a Oceanhouse Media app. Having said this, I think the price tag of $5.99 is high compared to other apps at this price point, and a lower price would be more in line with what parents are typically looking to spend per application.
